Terry Eberle, Vice President / Information Center and Executive Editor of The News-Press.

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They polarize the right and the left. They are cast as hateful, angry and just mean. They are called every name imaginable and they are viewed as so vile even a mother could not love them.

On the contrary, they are loving people that care deeply about their community, country and family. They volunteer, help out in school and speak and support worthwhile organizations. They care.

Without question, they rile people. Great cartoonists spur you to think and to take action. They force you to question your own beliefs, the beliefs of others and them.

They know that half will disagree and even hate them. They are OK with that and work hard to get it that way. They know one drawing speaks louder than a thousand words.

I have been fortunate to have worked with three great cartoonists ó Gary Varvel in Indianapolis, Jeff Parker at Florida Today and Doug MacGregor here at The News-Press.

I remember Varvel sitting at his desk following the 9/11 attacks sketching, trashing that idea and doing another. They were not right, they didnít capture the feeling of the nation and this one had to be his best. And it was.

Parker agonized over what to draw after the crash of the shuttle Columbia. This devastated the community. His simple drawing of the craft flying through the pearly gates said it all.

MacGregorís clean and artistic tribute following the killing of Lee schools Superintendent Dr. James Adams helped heal the education community at its lowest point.

Now, we are in the middle of critical national and local elections. The Democrats and Republicans are fighting for a small number of people in the middle who will sway the election. Southwest Floridians are passionate for their candidates and are expressing their anger against the cartoonists who attack their man.

I am very careful not to tell a cartoonist what to draw. I can suggest, edit and work with them, but the cartoon must be theirs. Their passion, their belief. You canít be told how to feel and if you are, the cartoon would go flat. I didnít agree with MacGregorís cartoon of the missile hitting the White House, but I agree it sent a strong message.

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We are accused of being out of touch and too liberal for this community. I am asked every day why we donít have any conservatives drawing for us. Excellent point and we heard you.

We have three cartoonists covering local and state issues: MacGregor, Parker and Andy Marlette from the Pensacola New Journal.

About a month ago we added some national cartoonists to balance our weekly pages. You saw during the Democratic convention cartoons raising questions about Obama and health care.

We added Larry Wright from the Detroit News; Rick McKee a Tallahassee native and now with the Augusta Chronicle; Eric Allie from the Pioneer Press; Chris Weyant from The Hill and New Yorker magazine; Nate Beeler from the Columbus Dispatch and formerly the Washington Examiner.

You may know them from your hometowns up North. They all see things through from different glasses. They may be conservative, liberal or in the middle. All will make you think.

This doesnít mean we still wonít anger you and get you off of your chair. It wonít mean that you will stop calling and writing (I hope that never happens) and their cartoons wonít stop running after the election.

Our mission on the Opinion Page is to spur discussion, get people thinking and cause change. A community not challenged is a community destined for failure.